A dish best served cold
by janayascarlet1
Summary: This is just a story about a girl and revenge. Although, it might not go exactly as Kei planned.
1. Chapter 1

The sound of a ringing phone pierced the air in a small, dusty living room. The loud noise startled Kei from her spring cleaning, causing her to fumble with her feather duster and almost drop it.

"Jeez..."

She huffed once the duster was finally secure in her grip and turned to glare at her phone, vibrating on the coffee table.

It was Sunday, the only day Kei had free and she was forced to spend it cleaning because her apartment was a complete pig sty. She had told all of her friends that she would be busy in hopes that no one would interrupt her and she would finish before the day was over so she could relax some. Her plan had worked and Kei finished her kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom in record time. All that was left was the living room, the easiest part. There was just a little dusting left, then Kei would be done, but someone decided to call, ruining the music she had been playing along with her mood.

So Kei answered her phone quickly, murmuring a mild 'Hello' into it, and hoping whoever it was had the wrong number so she could hang up. If she didn't hurry there wouldn't be a lot of time to chill out until she had to do homework.

 _"Hello? Is this Raikatuji Katelyn?"_

The familiar, uncertain voice on the other end made her stomach tighten into a tiny knot of nerves. Her heart was beating so hard Kei was almost choking on her pulse. The feather duster slipped through frozen fingers to clatter on the floor. She paid it no mind as she placed a hand on the wall to steady herself. Just hearing that voice again was enough to knock her off balance.

"Y-Yes," Kei cleared her throat to rid it of it's tremble and tried again. "Yeah, I'm Katelyn. Who's calling?"

It was pointless of her to ask, but she hoped against everything it wasn't who she thought it was. She hoped she heard wrong, that the person on the phone was some telemarketer with good English pronunciation. It had been a long time since anyone had called her Katelyn.

 _"It's, um, me, Katelyn. Your Father-"_

"How did you get this number?" Kei cut him off sharply. "Why are you calling me?"

The confirmation caused her previous irritation to boil over into anger. She wanted to demand how dare he call her. To yell at him until her voice was gone, rage until she couldn't anymore and let him know all of the pain that he'd caused. Instead, she took a breath, gritted her teeth, and waited for his answer.

Her father hadn't been physically abusive. Instead, he was completely indifferent to her and barely acknowledged her existence on a good day. He had been a neglectful douchebag that had the audacity to use Kei's mother leaving him as an excuse for his behavior.

Thanks to his silent refusal to take care of her, Kei had been forced to survive in her own home. She learned to cook so she could eat, learned to sew so when her clothes fell apart she could put them back together for just a little longer. She would run errands and babysit for the people in her neighborhood. Even though taking money from people that looked at her with such pitying expressions (yet did nothing to actually help) felt wrong, she persevered. Making money and getting out of that house couldn't be delayed.

Kei finally left at fifteen and moved as far away as she could as soon as she was able. The 'farthest place away' turned out to be Kichijouji, Tokyo. It was a hard lifestyle she chose to pursue and very much worth it. Becoming free from him was the best decision she'd ever made. Kei had hoped she'd be free of him for the rest of her life. She had believed it for five years until this sudden phone call.

Reizo sighed wearily over the phone. Kei bet if she could see him right now he'd be pinching the bridge of his nose like he always did when he was tired.

 _"My fiancé knows your art dealer. As for why...I just wanted to see how you were doing."_

Kei somehow refrained from scoffing in disbelief.

 _"...And I just thought you should know I'm different. I have a steady job and I'm getting married soon in Japan...I would like it if you came to the wedding. And my soon-to-be stepsons live in the city, at a place called the Sunrise Residence. They'd really like to meet you..."_

His words trailed off into an awkward silence that Kei lets linger as she tried to collect her thoughts. She was becoming more focused now that the anger that had welled up hot and fast slowly froze. The feeling spread through her veins, chilled her temper and brought clarity like she had just dunked her head in icy cold water.

 ** _This is my chance to get revenge._**

A clipped, frosty voice whispered through her mind and the thought struck a chord with some hateful part inside herself. That part perked up at the idea and urged her to follow through, almost quivering with excitement at the chance to hurt that man. There was barely an internal struggle, before, fueled by resentment, she responded.

"...Do you really mean that?"

Kei was a natural actress after years of kissing ass and playing the sweet, naive girl to get where she wanted to go. She spoke quietly, tone soft and beguiling with its faint hope. She sounded like a young child that was just told, 'no, sweetie, there aren't any monsters under your bed.' Inwardly, she felt slightly sickened that she was stooping to such a level. Even more so when she realized she felt almost bad for trying to deceive him.

Kei shook that feeling off quickly. She had no reason to feel guilty.

 _"Yes! I swear that I do, Katelyn. I know that I must've caused you so much pain and I am so, so sorry for that. I also know that just saying sorry won't even begin to make it up to you and I want to make amends. Will...Will you hear me out?"_

For a brief moment, Kei entertained the idea of hanging up. She could block his number and erase this conversation from her mind. Back out before she was lost to the darkness in her soul that wanted to hurt this man so badly. It would be done in a moment, all she had to do was press the end call button and she could return to her life.

Cold anger quickly chased that urge away, overwhelming it and forcing it into a box. He deserved all of the pain she was planning for him. Steeling herself, Kei let the ice in her veins freeze her heart. Reizo would not be let off easily. She refused to even think about the word 'forgiveness' until her pound of flesh and pint of blood was extracted.

"I'm listening."

If her voice was just a tad deeper, slightly darker, Reizo paid it no mind. He talked and Kei listened, playing her part as tentative yet willing as he spoke with hesitant enthusiasm. He told her of his fiancé and her sons, how he thought she should meet with them, and when the wedding would be. Kei was inaudibly gagging as he went on and on, bitter that this was the first time she heard him speak with something aside from apathy.

After he finally hung up, leaving her with an address and a time, she used that bitterness, all of her negative emotions, and channelled it into steely resolve. Then, she began to plot. Her goal wasn't a short term one. It would definitely take a while to get into the Asahina family's good graces, but Kei was confident. She would integrate herself and ruin everything for Reizo. If she could, she'd try to keep the Asahina brothers out of it. Unfortunately Miwa couldn't be spared. She was the closest to him after all. If she couldn't let the brothers be, _c'est la vie_.

Any softer, kinder ideas were squashed ruthlessly. She couldn't afford sentimentality during this. As a wise woman once said, "the only soft thing about a woman should be her breasts."

Kei crouched down to pick up the previously forgotten feather duster then stood stiffly. She really didn't feel like cleaning anymore, but once Kei started something she would finish. Besides, she needed a moment away from her dark thoughts before she was submerged once more. She had three weeks to prepare, then she would meet the Asahina family.

Let it not be said that Kei did things half-assedly. Even if she was being extremely petty and vengeful.

* * *

It was with a grudging curiosity and a feeble excuse to scope out the enemy that Kei found herself outside of the Sunrise Residence a week early. She had taken her time to think, respectfully chew out her art dealer for letting her father call her, and wonder what her father's new family would be like.

As she gaped up at the huge estate, Kei wasn't ashamed to admit that she felt jealous. If her apartment was a room in a nice hostel, the Sunrise Residence was a five-star hotel. It made her wonder about the type of people that lived there. Were they the rich, snooty kind of people? The kind that never had to work for anything in their lives? She hoped they were. It would be easier for her to deal with intruding in their lives that way.

Although, it didn't matter if the Asahina family were the nicest or worst people ever. Kei wouldn't miss what might be her only chance of revenge.

"Onee-san! Get out of the way!"

Startled by the yell, Kei spun to see a young boy on a bike hurtling towards her. She didn't fully realize he was talking to her until he was so close that she could count his eyelashes. She had a split second to consider letting him fly by and possibly crash, or stop him.

"Whoa, there," she said as she simultaneously stepped aside and grabbed his handlebars. Her arms jerked from the force and she had to take a couple dragging steps to offset his momentum, but she safely pulled the young bicyclist to a stop.

The boy breathed a sigh of relief and beamed up at her, caramel brown eyes just as bright as his smile. He was a cute kid. Lightly tanned with blondish-brown hair that somehow had a pink tinge and framed a face rounded with baby fat. He was dressed in soft pastel colors with knee high socks and a blue bunny peeking out from his jacket pocket. The little plush toy had a paw raised as if it was waving at her.

"Thanks, Onee-san! I lost control coming down that hill."

"No problem." Kei released her hold to place her hands in her pockets and chided him gently. "But please be more careful. What if I wasn't here and you crashed?"

His expression sobered at the thought and he nodded contritely. "I'm sorry, Onee-san. I promise to be more careful."

"Good." Kei ruffled his hair playfully, causing the boy to giggle. Her heart thawed slightly at the sound. "And wear a helmet next time, alright?"

"Okay, Onee-chan!" His smile was back in full force. He seemed pleased when she patted his head and a little disappointed when she pulled away. He actually pouted slightly at her, but that didn't stop him from talking rapid fire.

"So, what's your name, Onee-chan? I'm Wataru! You're really nice, you know. When my new big sister gets here, I hope she's as nice and pretty as you," he blurted out so quickly that Kei almost felt dizzy, still that didn't stop her thoughts from whirring.

 _Big sister? Is he...? No. It's probably a coincidence. He might not even live here._

"Ah, I'm Kei," was all that she managed before a man's voice cut in.

"Wataru! I told you not to get too far ahead!"

The voice belonged to a tall young man that shared Wataru's complexion but that was where the similarities ended. His hair was a dark, solid brown that curled into matching eyes that were creased with worry. He was dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt with a calm, almost laid back aura about him.

Wataru smiled sheepishly at him as the dark brunet neared, descending quickly down the hill Wataru previously came down. "Sorry, Makkun. I didn't mean to."

'Makkun' gave an exasperated sigh then turned to Kei with an apologetic expression. "Are you alright? He didn't run into you did he?"

Kei shook her head. "Nope. We had a close call, but everything's fine now."

"That's good..." He trailed off suddenly and did a double take at her. He blinked at Kei, faint recognition and surprise on his face. His brow furrowed and he took an unconscious step toward her, hands held out in an uncertain gesture.

"Are you Raikatuji Katelyn?"

Kei couldn't help it, she froze for a second.

 _How unlucky._

Meeting any of the Asahinas when she had to come to scope out the place had not been in the plan. Kei couldn't even act like she didn't know what he was talking about since he recognized her somehow, she was in too deep to lie. She'd have to improvise.

She forced herself to unfreeze and widened her eyes to look curious. "Yeah, But I prefer Kei. Are you an Asahina?"

"Yes. My name is Asahina Masaomi. It's very nice to meet you, Kei-san," Masaomi said kindly, a warm smile gracing his features. "You're here early. We weren't expecting you until next week."

"Nice to meet you, too, Masaomi-san and I was really curious about you all so I decided to drop by and see where you lived." Kei paused and offered a mildly embarrassed shrug. "I didn't expect to actually meet anyone," she admitted.

Wataru, who had been watching the conversation like a tennis match, gasped. "You're my new Onee-chan?"

"Yep."

"Yay!" Wataru cheered. He suddenly hopped off his bike and threw his arms around Kei's waist. Caught off guard by the sudden hug, Kei hesitantly laced her arms around Wataru's shoulders, then relaxed and ruffled his hair again.

Resting his chin on her stomach, Wataru tilted his head back and grinned up at her, eyes glittering with glee. "Please take care of me from now on, Onee-chan!"  
"Same to you, Wataru."

After Kei untangled herself from the boy latched onto her like a monkey, she surprised Masaomi by giving him a hug as well. She knew many Japanese weren't as open with public displays of affection as Americans, but she thought it would be good to establish herself as an affectionate and friendly character to lessen the chances of someone suspecting her motive.

When she pulled back, she decided not to tease him about the light pink dusting his cheeks. Instead, she equipped her most charming smile, that may or may not have caused that pink to deepen, and let out a cheerful chirp.

"I hope we'll all be able to get along."

Kei felt a little dirty at the lie.


	2. Chapter 2

"Would you like to come in?"

'Uh, how about _no_ ' was what Kei wanted to say to Masaomi's offer.

"Sure. Why not?"

Was what she actually said.

As Wataru cheerfully proceeded to drag her inside and Masaomi trailed sedately behind them, Kei had to fight off her rising panic. She didn't know why she agreed so quickly, she wasn't ready to meet all of the brothers. She hadn't prepared enough yet, hadn't fleshed out all of the fine details.

So far, Kei thought she could handle Wataru and Masaomi. They both seemed the type to easily fall to manipulation, but the other brothers might be different. There were thirteen of them. Not all of them could be kind and naive. What if one was perceptive enough to realize her intentions?

And it was too late now to bail. If Kei did, what would she say? 'Oh, sorry, I conveniently just remembered this thing I have to do so I have to leave now.' Yeah, totally not suspicious.

Kei took a quiet breath to calm her nerves. She was overthinking things. Right now, she wasn't the person about to potentially ruin their lives, she was just their soon-to-be stepsister curious about her stepbrothers.

Besides, if no one found Kei suspect this would be a great opportunity to get to know the brothers a little and have a more solid base to work off.

Still, Kei couldn't help momentarily letting her lips twist and eyebrows furrow. Going into such a situation blind made her anxious, she didn't like being uncertain and just that minute show of emotion was enough to release some of her tension. It wasn't important if Masaomi or Wataru noticed, it was natural to appear somewhat concerned about meeting new people.

"Onee-chan, you don't have to be so nervous, you know."

Wataru's voice jerked Kei from her thoughts. The smile he aimed up at her wasn't any less cheery than earlier, but there was a certain maturity to it that Kei hadn't expected from him. Apparently, there was more to him than just being a spoiled sweet kid like she'd assumed.

"He's right, Kei-san."

Masaomi strode up beside them once they reached the elevator and after pressing the up button, gentle brown eyes met Kei's. His expression was reassuring, a calmer mirror to the one that had been on Wataru's face.

"After all, we're going to be siblings."

As Wataru squeezed her fingers and Masaomi briefly rested a comforting hand on her head, guilt started to weigh down Kei's shoulders. Those words along with their earnest actions, made Kei feel uncomfortable.

 _They're way too open with someone they don't know._

How could they be so accepting?

Kei didn't know. In a way, she thought it was almost funny that the thing she was banking on would throw her off. She wanted the Asahinas gullible, not genuinely nice. Although, it wouldn't stop Kei in the long run, only make things more difficult.

The elevator dinged as they finally reached the fifth floor and Kei did her best to ignore her guilt and anxiety, forcing them away for the time being. Having pangs of conscious was distracting and she didn't need that. Kei was determined not to let the brothers sway her.

"Thanks. I don't know why I was so nervous." Kei let out a light self-depreciating laugh. After she carefully squeezed Wataru's hand back and patted Masaomi on the arm to show her appreciation, Kei stepped out into the empty hall.

"So, where are the rest of our brothers?" Kei asked over her shoulder. She found her question answered as she walked further into the landing area to overlook the large living room and heard voices towards the right of the room, a little past the stairs.

"It sounds like they're in the kitchen," Masaomi said, a happy curve to his lips.

Kei wondered if it was because of her willingness to call them family so quickly or not. For the short time Kei had known Masaomi, a smile seemed to be his resting face.

"Oh! I'll go tell them Onee-chan's here!"

By the time Wataru's announcement had reached Masaomi and Kei, he'd already disappeared down the steps. As they followed at a slower pace, Kei could hear him shouting excitedly and another voice trying to calm him down.

"He's been really looking forward to meeting you," Masaomi told Kei, a little twinkle in his eyes. "We all have."

"Same here. I can't wait to get to know all of you."

Kei sounded appropriately excited, but butter wouldn't have melted in her mouth.

"What? She's here?!"

A young man rushed out of the kitchen and paused in front of Kei long enough for her to see violet eyes contrast with stark white hair. The next thing Kei knew, he was in her personal space, arms wrapped around her shoulders and his head leaning against hers.

"It's a 'nice to meet you' hug!" He explained exuberantly as he pressed even closer, embracing Kei more like a lover than a family member.

What could she do except laugh off the intimacy and hug him back? Anything else might not fit with the persona she'd already shown Masaomi and she was kind of used to behavior like that.

"Nice to meet you, too," Kei said and circled her arms around his waist. "But it would be even nicer if I knew your name."

"Ah!" He pulled back just enough so Kei could see his face, playful grin and all. It as such a familiar expression it distracted her from the figure looming behind him. "I'm-uwah!"

Suddenly, he was wrenched away from her and dragged backward towards a dark haired man who was gripping him by the back of his collar. Kei was reminded of someone picking up a particularly rambunctious puppy by their scruff.

"I wanted to hug her more, Azusaaa~," The white-haired man-child whined, struggling weakly as he held his hands out to Kei beseechingly.

"You did it long enough, you siscon," Azusa said, calm yet unrelenting.

Kei heard quiet laughter from Masaomi who had seated himself on the couch to watch the spectacle. He looked relaxed, content to sit back and watch instead of joining in, kind of like an old man watching over the youngsters. An odd comparison to make considering his youthful appearance.

"Sorry about that."

Azusa's apology drew Kei's attention back to him. He offered her a light smile as he released Tsubaki. Completely unbothered, Tsubaki draped an arm around Azusa's neck and leaned into him, highlighting their differences. White to black, pink to blue, excitable to composed.

"I'm Azusa and this is Tsubaki. It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

"You two, are you being bothersome?"

The voice Kei had first heard talking to Wataru earlier cut in as a tall blond entered the room. Wataru was beside him, his eyebrows scrunched up in concentration as he carefully pushed a rolling cart filled to the brim with tea and snacks up to the coffee table.

"Thanks for helping, Wataru," the blond said, to which the boy gave an exaggerated salute.

"Here," Masaomi started as he stood. "I'll help you set the table."

While Masaomi and Wataru worked on setting out the food, the blond smiled at Kei, looking every inch the refined, cultured businessman.

"Welcome to our home, Katelyn-san. My name is Ukyo."

His greeting and bearing felt so formal that Kei was tempted to curtsy to him. She wasn't sure if Ukyo would've taken it as ridicule and decided against it. Instead, she opted for a polite smile and direct, but not aggressive, eye contact.

"Please, call me Kei and thanks for having me. I'm sorry I came earlier than expected."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. You'll always be welcome."

Kei seemed touched by Ukyo's warm statement. While she murmured her thanks her eyes sparkled, the edges crinkling as her smile broadened, showing just a hint of teeth to make it more like one of her real smiles. Inwardly, Kei wanted to scream at something.

How many of these brothers would be so nice? Kei was quickly becoming irritated by their easy acceptance of strangers.

Okay, maybe the circumstance was different since she was going to be their stepsister, but they still didn't know her. She could've been a murderer for all they knew...

To be honest, she really wasn't much better. At least she wasn't there to kill anyone. Nope, just ruin their mother's marriage and probably create a rift in their family at best.

It was at that moment Kei knew she needed to leave. Consequences be damned, because if she didn't she would get too deep into her feelings of guilt and shame.

Was her resolution so weak that a few pretty words would stop her from seeking retribution?

No.

"Well, it's been nice-"

The sound of a phone ringing cut Kei off. She fished into her pocket and upon seeing the name of the caller excused herself and answered. She watched out of the corner of her eye as the brothers all seated themselves and talked over their tea quietly.

"Hi, Nakanoi-san-"

Kei froze as Nakanoi interrupted her.

"What?" She said breathily in disbelief, then paused as Nakanoi spoke more.

"Okay...okay...I'm on my way."

Kei was already moving and reached the elevator before she finished her sentence. She didn't hear what any of the brothers had to say to her departure and didn't bother to call out an apology while the doors slid shut. Kei had bigger things to worry about than seeming rude.

Once the elevator reached the first floor Kei burst from it, almost bowled over a dark haired guy, then broke into a sprint.

Where was the fire?

Her apartment.


	3. Chapter 3

The early, Sunday morning sky was full of bright reds and oranges, like the roaring fire that consumed her home had bled out onto the sky. Kei sat outside near the front, staring at the burnt husk of a building in a morbid trance.

Kei hadn't made it back in time and every attempt she had made to save something, anything, from her apartment had been thwarted. All of her hard work had gone up in flames and thick, black smoke. Her furniture, her clothes, her life. The only things that she had left was a meager amount of money in her bank account, the clothes on her back, and her phone.

Distantly, Kei realized she felt numbed to the situation. Maybe a little shocked, too. Otherwise, she might've been bawling and drowning in self-pity. Kei was your typical struggling artist/college student. Sure she was slowly climbing the ranks and starting to get some of her work noticed, but Kei wasn't at the point where she could simply live off her art.

At the moment, she might have enough money to rent a cheap hotel room for a week, but not enough to pay for clothes, food, and her phone bill. She also wasn't sure how long it would take to move into her college's dorm, or if she could, and none of her friends had any room for her.

Abruptly, Kei climbed to her feet and began walking away. She couldn't stand the depressing sight any longer. There wasn't any particular destination Kei had in mind, leaving her to wander aimlessly.

As she neared the Kichijyouji Park, almost halfway across the city, the sky had begun to lighten to its regular true blue and she decided to rest on a bench further into the park. She was far enough away that there was silence in place of the city noises she'd grown used to. No rumbling cars, bustling people, or the murmur of a million conversations melting into one. It was peaceful with just the whisper of a light breeze ruffling through trees and ducks quacking quietly as they glided across the pond in front of her.

Kei's moment of serenity ended when an obnoxiously merry jingle cut through her daze. She looked down at the simple flip phone clenched in her hand and felt an urge to hurl it into the pond. It felt like ever since her father had called, anytime she answered the phone all she got was bad news.

The only reason her phone wasn't currently swimming with the fishes was because of the caller. If it was any other day, Kei would've smiled and answered with genuine glee. The person calling, Akita Sho, had been a complete stranger three months ago and now Kei thought of him as a close friend. Sho was somewhere north of forty and still very attractive and youthful with eyes a gorgeous shade of smokey topaz.

Their meeting had been spontaneous and like something out of a movie; they were in a crowded restaurant, Kei was at a table with one of the last remaining seats and offered it to him. Sho was a very enthusiastic, candid person with a great sense of humor and it had been a big surprise to Kei when they hit it off immediately.

Afterward, Sho made sure to keep in touch. They talked over the phone or texted frequently, laughing and gossiping and bonding. For Kei, it was like having an older brother figure and Sho admitted that he thought of Kei as the little sister he never wanted. Kei enjoyed the new experience immensely. It had been a while since there'd been a person she wanted to be close to. Add in the fact that he was a pretty well-known art dealer and it was like a match made in heaven.

Even so, Kei almost didn't want to answer the phone. She didn't want to expend energy to act like her life hadn't been ruined. Yet at the same time, she wanted to hear her friend's voice, to sink into loving arms and fall apart for just a second.

The moment she impulsively answered, Kei was almost bowled over by the concern in her friend's voice.

"Thank God you finally answered! Are you alright? You aren't hurt, are you? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"No, Mom, I'm fine."

"Thank goodness," Sho ignored her little dig and heaved a quivering sigh, like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. His relief made Kei's heart twinge and the brunette grimaced in distaste when she felt the beginning of tears stinging at her eyes. She shut them tight and shook her head until they went away as Sho continued.

"You have no idea how happy I am that you're alright. When I heard what happened to your apartment I almost had a heart attack. Are you sure you're fine? Where did you even stay last night?"

"Yeah, I'm sure I'm fine and a neighbor was kind enough to lend me their couch," Katia said and winced at the hoarseness in her voice. If she sounded half as bad as she thought she did, Sho wouldn't leave her alone. Resignation was already starting to sink in before he could even respond. Kei knew where this conversation was about to go.

"You don't sound fine," Sho said shrewdly. "I'm coming to get you. Where are you right now?"

He plowed forward, overwhelming any of Kei's possible protests and leaving no room for anything but a 'yes'.

Kei let out a soft, disgruntled sigh, then bit her tongue when she realized the sound slipped out. She wasn't fully in control of her reactions and for Sho to suddenly get stubborn on her didn't help. She always felt guilty when she disagreed with Sho because she wanted him to always be happy.

Kei would be lying if she said her quick attachment to the bodacious blond didn't leave her mildly disturbed. Especially since Sho was currently the only person that could get Kei to fold faster than a wet napkin.

"...I'm at the Kichijyouji Park, sitting on a bench near the pond."

And fold she did.

Kei reasoned to herself that she was too tired to deal with Sho in one of his moods and the best way to get him off her back was to give in. Sho could be a force to be reckoned with when he wanted to be and Kei's control was shot. She wouldn't have been able to successfully talk Shou out of his decisions. Why would she anyway? It wasn't like Kei had any other options at the moment.

"Good. I'll be there soon, Kit-Kat."

"Bye," Kei said, her previously dull tone softening at the use of her nickname. Sho was the only one she would let call her that.

Once the call ended, Kei hugged her knees to her chest and tucked her face into them, ignoring the faint scent of smoke that still lingered in the fabric of her jeans. As she waited, she did what she always would do in the face of adversity. She shoved her more negative emotions into a box and placed it deep inside her subconscious.

By the time Sho got there, Kei would be firmly in a forced calm and able to don her regular persona without wanting to shrink into some tiny, screaming thing. She didn't want to worry Sho with her problems. He didn't deserve to be caught up in her mess.

It wasn't long before Kei could hear footsteps approaching, but it wasn't Sho. She slowly lifted her head and did a discreet once over of the person approaching her. The boy was slightly above average height and dressed in a familiar uniform. It wasn't until bright red hair came into view that Kei recognized him.

The boy walking towards her was Asahina Yusuke, probably on his way to school. He was a sweet kid and completely lovestruck. He had only joined the art club Kei advised because of a girl named Hinata Ema.

Seeing him brought the Asahinas back into Kei's mind.

She had completely forgotten about them while stuck in her own drama and a revelation struck Kei as Yusuke neared her, oblivious to his surroundings. Earlier, Kei hadn't been fully prepared to face the consequences of her actions if she went through with trying to deceive the Asahinas.

Now, she had nothing left to lose.


End file.
